Undoubtedly, along with hardship is ease

SubḥānAllāh these āyāt are so powerful and profound. In these beautiful āyāt Allāh ﷻ comforts and reassures His beloved Prophet ﷺ and *each of us* by saying,

فَإِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

So, undoubtedly, along with the hardship there is ease

إِنَّ مَعَ ٱلْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا

Undoubtedly, along with the hardship there is ease

[Qur’ān 94:5-6]

Grammatically, when the Arabic definite article al is prefixed to an Arabic noun and is repeated with the same definite article al, they refer to the same antecedent. The word al 'usr 'the hardship' in āyah 6 is the repetition of al 'usr 'the hardship' occurring in the 5th āyah. It does not refer to a new hardship rather the same hardship mentioned previously. In contrast to this, the word yusr 'ease' in both āyāt occur without the definite article. This indicates that the second yusr 'ease' in the 6th āyah is a different antecedent to the yusr 'ease' occurring in 5th āyah. Therefore, there is only one 'hardship' and two 'eases'. 'Two eases' does not only mean twice as much; it means 'manifold ease'. The āyah signifies that only one kind of hardship will face us, however following that one hardship many kinds of ease are assured. The word ma’a combines two things together in closeness either simultaneously or one after the other they are always together. Hardships are never absolute, for ease always accompanies them. This is strongly emphasized by a literal repetition of the statement: “Undoubtedly, along with hardship there is ease/there will be ease after it.” So, with every difficulty we face in life there will be ease and this ease is far greater than the difficulty. Focus on that ease, look for the good, and be patient with the difficulty. Another meaning that scholars have mentioned, is that the period of hardship that you are passing through is not too long; following close behind it is also a period of ease. Reflect on the fact that, the times of ease are more frequent than the times of difficulty. How often does one fall sick, in comparison to the time they are healthy? Our problem is that when we are tested we tend to put all our focus on the difficulty or the calamity and forget all the other blessings that we are still being showered with and all the blessings we have enjoyed in the past. The repetition also reassures us that difficult times will not last forever and inshā’Allāh soon they will be replaced with times of ease.

Another beautiful reflection is that Allāh ﷻ in these āyāt acknowledges and validates your feelings… that yes at this moment there is difficulty. This is HARD… but there is also ease in your life and more ease will come soon. The lesson for us is that when we are tested we should be patient and acknowledge that if Allāh has tested me with this there must be some good and wisdom behind it. That this test is an opportunity for me to attain closeness to Allāh, gain a great reward and elevate my status.

[Reference: Maarif-ul-Qur’ān]